


Of Plants and Tortillas

by vega_voices



Series: Sleeps with Butterflies [33]
Category: CSI, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-07
Updated: 2013-02-07
Packaged: 2017-11-28 14:18:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/675340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vega_voices/pseuds/vega_voices
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“It’s about more than love,” she said quietly. “I was able to love you without marrying you.”</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Plants and Tortillas

**Title:** Of Plants and Tortillas  
 **Series:** Sleeps with Butterflies  
 **Author:** vegawriters  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Grissom/Sara  
 **Rating:** For Grownup Peoples  
 **Timeframe:** _Malice in Wonderland_ (Season 12)  
 **Disclaimer:** If CSI would hire me, we’d get to have scenes like this. ;) But until they do, it’s just me and my computer and I’m not making a damned penny off of it.

 **Summary:** _“It’s about more than love,” she said quietly. “I was able to love you without marrying you.”_

The card was soft in her hand, a heavier weave than many of the cards used by the floral shops he preferred. He’d gone to extra effort. The script was classic and simple. The words on the card were theirs. Their signal. Their moment. _From Grissom_. He’d meant to propose to her that way. Before Natalie and bees and her mental breakdown, he’d planned to leave a plant at the front desk with the inscription “Will you marry me?” and the ring tied to the stems. She preferred how it had happened, bee sting and all.

The plant this time was huge, bushy green with purple veins, serrated leaves. It would look amazing on the porch, tucked in a corner where the sun would hit it just the right amount of the day. She’d been looking for something to complete that area. The African violets hung in window pots, the succulents took up space in window sills and on the kitchen island. The desert rosebush wound vines up the trestles in the backyard.

Judy winked at her and she chuckled, taking the card with her Judy liked keeping the plants at the front desk until Sara’s shift was over. So Sara pocketed the card and walked back to her desk, wondering if her husband would pick up the phone if she called. She had paperwork and sometimes having the video chat open just to talk to him made it go faster. He’d have appreciated the beauty in the case, the themes of _Alice and Wonderland_ and how life sometimes managed to take you through the looking glass. She could hear his soothing voice quoting from the classic, the sing-song lilt that the prose inspired.

Her personal cell phone was chirping as she approached her desk and she chuckled as she answered the phone. “I love the plant.”

“I’m glad you got it.” She could hear his smile through the phone. “How are you?”

“Tired.”

“Shift should be almost done.” He sounded concerned.

“Paperwork.” She paused as she settled into her desk chair. “But hopefully it won’t be long.” She rubbed her eyes. “How are things?”

“As usual.” He sounded dodgy and she tried not to take it personally. They were gently silent for a long moment before he said, “I’m going to let you get the paperwork done, honey. Call me when you get home. I’ll be up.”

She sighed but he was right. “Okay.” Despite knowing they’d talk later, she felt odd. Long distance just wasn’t what she had been expecting and conversations like this only made the separation harder.

***

  
Her first clue was that Hank wasn’t waiting for her by the door. She whistled for him as she came in, and she heard the scamper of his nails on the hardwood floors above her, but he wasn’t jumping to get out. Her second clue was the smell of rice. And fresh tortillas. A little bit of chili powder.

Her heart started to race and she took the stairs from the garage two at a time. “Gil?” She hollered, still not believing what her nose was telling her. She didn’t bother to stow her kit. Didn’t even take off her gun. She raced into the main level of the house and there he was in the kitchen, dressed in a pair of jeans and a loose fitting black t-shirt, looking every bit a domesticated husband and not the jungle trotting, mass grave excavating adventurer he was. “What are you doing here?”

He turned, spoon still in hand, and smirked at her. “Making dinner.”

She dropped her kit to the floor with a loud crash and raced into his arms and he picked her up and spun her around. “Oh my god, Gil.” She kissed his cheek and pressed her face into his neck. “God, I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too.” He set her down but she kept her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss that ended with her lower back being pressed into the counter.

“And here I thought you were being dodgy on the phone because you didn’t want to sit and talk,” she said when she pulled back.

“The tortillas were burning.”

She giggled and finally let him go. “Let me put my gun away.”

“Please.”

She slipped away to the mud room again, locked her gun into its case and stowed her kit where it belonged. She kicked her boots free and dropped her work shirt into the washing machine, and at the last minute, unclasped her bra and dropped it into the delicates hamper next to the door.

Emerging again, she leaned against the doorway, thumbs in her pockets, smirking as she watched the blood rush through his body. Despite his tan, the color of his arousal flushed across his face and his jeans did not hide his body’s reaction to her. “Anything going to burn?” She said with a grin.

“Oh no,” Gil responded, leaving the spoon on the stove, “we’re good for now.”

She sauntered over to the couch and he followed, shucking his shirt along the way. They collapsed together, arms and legs; hands groping while their mouths made love to each other. It had been too long since they’d even teased each other to climax over the phone; she wanted to ride him until they both collapsed. He settled, watching as she stripped the rest of her clothes and then bent to undo his pants and pull them down his legs. He stroked his erection until she stood again and then guided her right onto his lap. God it had been too long.

Long fingers and short nails dug into his chest. He steadied her hips with one hand while working her clit with the other. She whimpered and bent her head, muttering his name in a mixture of curse words and prayers to God, and they moved together. God. God.

Light exploded behind her eyes but he didn’t stop and she arched back into a second climax that left her legs a puddle of jelly. She cried, begging for mercy. Only after she sagged completely onto his chest did he stop. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered him shouting her name as he tumbled over the cliff himself.

“God,” she muttered, cuddling closer to him, “God I love you.”

His hands were warm on her back, “I love you too.”

They shared a chuckle and she leaned up enough to push her hair out of her eyes. “Welcome home, babe.”

“Thank you.” He stroked her breast, running his thumb over her nipple.

“This is the best surprise you could have given me. I mean the plant was great and all …”

He chuckled. “Well, I figured it would keep you guessing.”

She huffed playfully and then pulled off his lap, wincing at the movement. Their clothes were everywhere and she still had one sock on so she took her time wandering the room, knowing he was watching her. “I’m going to go put something on.”

“I like it when you eat naked.”

The innuendo was there and she smirked. “For dessert maybe, Gilbert.” She tossed his boxers and jeans at him before wandering up the stairs to their bedroom. Quickly she donned a pair of short satin shorts and a matching top and ran her fingers through her hair before making her way back down again. Gil had dressed and was standing at the stove, finishing up the cooking. “God it’s nice to not have to cook for myself.”

“And what would you have had?”

“Oh …” she shrugged, “probably some cheese and bread and a glass of wine.”

“So, not really cooking.”

“You can shut up now.”

He laughed and nodded to the beer on the counter. “There you go.”

“You already took advantage of me.”

“I’m thinking ahead.”

She snickered and took a seat at the kitchen table to watch him cook. He’d set up everything, down to the plates they’d bought in Italy and new beeswax candles glowed a gentle light against the mostly-drawn blackout curtains. “So we had this case you might find interesting.”

“Oh?”

“Well, the case itself maybe not. But …” she paused, taking a sip of her beer, “see, what got our attention was the crime that started of this little mini-spree. It was a murder-robbery that took place at a wedding.”

“Ouch.”

“I know. But the theme for the wedding was all _Alice in Wonderland_. Even the officiant was dressed up as the caterpillar.” She paused, remembering the conversation in the interrogation room.

“What is it? What are you thinking?”

She took another sip and then stood up, walking across the kitchen to wrap her arms around her husband. “He asked me if I was married. I said yes. And then he looked at me and said – It’s special, isn’t it.” She kissed his shoulder. “And again, I said yes.”

“I’m glad.” He sighed in a way that let her hold him tighter.

“It’s about more than love,” she said quietly. “I was able to love you without marrying you.”

“So why did you say yes?”

“Because the idea of being with you until the end of my life was too good to pass up.” She kissed his shoulder again. “It’s not just a contract with the state when it’s done right. It’s a contract with two people to keep each other healthy and whole. Anyway, all through the forensic world, I am this hero. I snagged the elusive Doctor Gil Grissom.”

He chuckled. “Really?”

“You’d be amazed how many people come up at conventions. I could do a whole presentation on what it means to be married to a moody entomologist.”

He laughed and turned his head to kiss her. “And what does it mean?”

“That I have butterfly colonies in my bedroom.” She nuzzled him. “And an ant colony in the library. And a tarantula terrarium in your office. And that I get to spend my life with someone who actually understands me.” She paused. “It’s special.”

“Yes,” he echoed her words from earlier. “It is.” He reached over and turned off the heat on the stove. “Dinner is ready, my love.”

“Perfect.” She kissed his cheek. “I’m starved after that little workout from earlier.” She slid her hand down and grazed it over his fly. “We need to eat to keep our strength up.” He swatted her hand and she backed away. “How long do I get you for?”

“I figured you’d get tired of me after two weeks.”

“Probably.” Sara reclaimed her seat at the table while he brought the food over. “I mean, after a while having you next to me … it just gets so old.” She looked up at him. “Gil … when are you coming home? For good?”

He took her hand and kissed it. “I don’t know yet, Sara.”

“Okay.” She said, holding in her sigh. He was here. She wasn’t going to ruin that. He gave her a smile that thanked her for not pushing the issue and took a seat across from her. “Tell me about the dig. What hasn’t been included in your emails?” While he talked, Sara let him serve her; it was one of his quirks that she secretly loved. She had him for two weeks. She was going to enjoy every moment of it.

_Continued in[Fallen Memories](http://vega-voices.livejournal.com/74310.html)_


End file.
